In the automotive industry, government imposed regulations and customer requests often require the application of indicia on automotive glass that identifies the manufacturer of such glass and/or provides additional data. Traditionally, such indicia are applied to the automotive glass using one of a number of different application methods.
One such known application method includes the conventional process of silk screening. During the silk screening process, screen templates are provided that include a film layer, which has been cut to create a design, that is applied to a screen material. This screen template is then positioned over the glass product and ink is forced through the open areas of the film and deposited onto the surface of the glass. The ink deposit must then dry to create a semi-permanent mark. However, silk-screening suffers from a number of disadvantages. For example, the image formed by silk-screening is not quickly and easily changeable during production, thereby preventing the application of discrete symbols on the glass. Moreover, the silk-screens themselves may also become damaged after prolonged exposure to environmental harshness, such as light, water, and the like. Furthermore, the newly formed silk-screened image is especially subject to smearing or damage caused by handling prior to the ink fully curing or drying.
Accordingly, there exists a need in the relevant art to provide a method and apparatus capable of producing indicium on automotive glass that may be immediately handled and resist chipping, flaking, or other damage caused by use or exposure to environmental elements. Still further, there exists a need in the relevant art to provide a method and apparatus capable of overcoming the many disadvantages of the prior art.